Your task is to make sense of the authors and texts in question. To make sense o

Your task is to make sense of the authors and texts in question. To make sense of an
author’s position, it doesn’t help to portray them as foolish, however wrong or
misguided you personally consider them to be.
Nor does it help to take an author’s position and reasoning for granted, as if it there is
no explanation required. Go to as much trouble to make sense of positions and lines of
reasoning that you agree with as you would to make sense of positions you disagree
with.
In making sense of the authors and texts in question, it may help to imagine that you’re
addressing an audience that is not already familiar with the subject matter. Imagine, for
example, that you’re addressing some of your friends or family members who are
interested to hear what your class is about, what sorts of things you’re discussing. They
may want to know more than just what the authors in questions believe. Imagine them
following up with questions like: “Why would anyone believe that?